As is well known, the game of golf consists of two primary phases of the game, first phase, often called "tee to green" includes approaches to the green which typically involve using a club which strikes a golf ball so that it flies through the air toward the green. Once the green has been reached, the second phase of the game is entered which includes putting the ball to the hole. Putting is a completely different type of action from the approach to the green, since the ball typically is rolled along the surface of the green toward the hole. Additionally, while the hole remains the target throughout the game of golf, the approach shots typically have a much larger target the green instead of the hole, or cup, itself. Once on the green, putting involves a much higher degree of accuracy than the approach shots because the target has now been reduced from a relatively large green to a cup only 4.25 inches in diameter.
In recognition of these two distinct phases of the game, over the years the club used for the putting phase, the putter, has become highly evolved and substantially different from clubs used in the other phases of the game. However, all of the evolutions of the putter have been designed to increase the accuracy of a putt so as to increase the likelihood that the ball will be struck into the hole.
The act of putting requires a coincidence of two primary elements in order for a putt to go into the cup. The first element is direction, or proper alignment of the putter, so as to strike the ball along a path which will intersect the cup. The second element, speed, includes striking the ball with the proper force so that the ball travels the proper distance along the desired line so that it reaches the cup, but not so hard that it rolls over the cup or through the desired path. Typically, the directional element has not been emphasized in prior art putters, and in fact, the most recent developments in putter design have centered about mass distribution in the putter head to minimize the effect of off center contact between the putter and the ball so that the ball travels an improved distance even though mishit, in effect minimizing the loss of distance in off center contact. Direction has not been emphasized in most prior art designs. In fact, the typical putter is shafted at one side of the putter head which encourages inconsistent directional control since the putter face will tend to rotate relative to the shaft during the putting stroke. To minimize the impact of this tendency, a putting stroke and grip have developed in an attempt to counteract this latent defect in prior designs. However, the stroke and grip result in a loss of feel to the user and a lack of accuracy since the muscles used to grip the putter must be tensed in an attempt to maintain the proper putter face alignment.
With respect to the directional element, there are three primary considerations involved in putting the ball in the proper direction or line. The first consideration is reading of the green to determine the proper line. In reading the green, the slope of the green, the grain of the grass on the green and any other elements which may cause the ball to deviate from a straight line path to the cup must be considered and then a line selected to compensate for these factors. Obviously, the reading of the green cannot be achieved by a putter; however, once the line is selected, the golfer must then align the putter so that the ball will be struck along the proper line which is the second consideration of the directional element. Typical prior art putters are very difficult to align with the ball as there are very few meaningful visual cues provided on the putter to indicate how the putter is aligned with respect to the ball. It should be noted that since the cup is a relatively small target even minor misalignments of the putter with respect to the ball will result in a deviation from the desired path and cause the ball to miss the cup. The final consideration in the directional element is maintaining the proper putter alignment during the putting stroke so that the putter is at the same alignment at contact with the ball as it was when the putter was initially aligned. Similar to the consideration of alignment prior to the stroke, prior art putters functionally lacking in this consideration. In fact, the "modern" putting stroke in use today has recognized the general unsuitability of prior art putters in this capacity and a relatively unnatural grip technique and stroke have evolved to minimize the chance of misalignment during the putting stroke. However, the mere fact that these artificial strokes have had to be developed points to the fact that the prior art putters have inherent defects of design. These defects stem primarily from the fact that the shaft of the putter is typically provided at one end of the putter face, in effect providing a hinge about which the putter face will tend to swing open and closed relative to the intended path of the ball; such defects almost ensure that the putter face will not be square at impact without some attempt to hold the face square. Putting consistency varies greatly and is proportionate to the success of the attempt to hold the face square.
For example, the typical grip in use today is very a firm grasp of the putter with very little movement of the wrists, which encourages tensed muscles and a reduction of muscular control or sensitivity. In addition, the "modern" putter stroke has evolved into a stroke wherein the elbows, wrists and waist are held relatively rigid and all of the movement is typically initiated in the shoulders. The goal of this stroke is for the putter to follow a straight line back from the ball during the putting stroke and back through the ball so that the putter face does not become misaligned during the stroke. However, such rigidity in the body and a firm grip typically desensitizes the user for the proper feel of the putt (tense muscles and the resulting reduction of muscular control promote off-line movement), thus making it much more difficult to judge how much force to use in striking the ball and resulting in decreased accuracy of putt, both in speed and direction. This stroke is in contrast to the natural tendency of the body in swinging a golf club to swing the club in an arc, using primarily the hands and the arms and, secondarily, the shoulders. However, the prior art putters have completely ignored this element and provide no assistance, stemming from design configuration, in maintaining alignment at the moment of impact. In fact, such prior art putter designs encourage just the opposite and provide no meaningful assistance in maintaining alignment at the moment of impact.
Thus, there exists a need for a putter, which by its configuration and construction, resists misalignment during the putting stroke and tends to maintain such alignment so that the alignment selected prior to the putting stroke is maintained up to and through contact with the ball.
As was indicated, typical prior art putters have paid very little attention to directional considerations and typically leave that to the golfer's putting stroke and experience, which promotes inconsistent putting performance since the alignment of the putter, at impact, is not inherently predictable due to its design. However, because of the lack of consideration of alignment problems during the stroke, the typical putting stroke has evolved with a very firm grip and a very unnatural body motion, in an attempt to offset the tendency of prior art putters to become misaligned during the putting stroke, which results in less feedback being provided to the golfer through the putter and consequently a reduced feel for the putt. This feedback is very important in judging the proper speed of the putt and developing a feel for when the ball is struck with the proper force.
An additional factor in the speed of the putt is whether contact with the ball occurs at the "sweet spot" of the putter face; contact at the sweet spot results in the ball travelling farther than contact elsewhere on the face. As with other pieces of sports equipment used to strike balls, such as baseball bats and tennis rackets, there is typically an area on the contact surface of such sports equipment known as the "sweet spot" which, when contact is made at this spot, the most efficient transmission of momentum from the piece of equipment to the ball will result. Striking the ball on a spot other than the sweet spot results in less energy being transmitted to the ball and thus the ball travels a lesser and unpredictable distance. The sweet spot of a putter is dependant upon many considerations and in typical prior art putters frequently occurs at a position other than the exact center of the putter face. However, with such variations in the sweet spot, it becomes very difficult for the golfer to judge where the sweet spot of the putter truly is and thus even more difficult to make intentional contact with the sweet spot, since the sweet spot is not where it would perceptually appear to be. The result, is that in a typical putt, the golfer may or may not strike the ball with the sweet spot resulting in a reduced ability to judge the proper force with which to strike the ball. Furthermore, even if the golfer has used the putter long enough to know where the sweet spot of the putter is, often times it is towards the heel or toe of the putter and thus, increases the likelihood of misalignment since the golfer perceptually aligns the putter using the center of the putter as an alignment guide for lack of anything better. Therefore, there exists a further need for a putter in which the sweet spot is located in a known and obvious location which coincides with the aiming axis of the putter.
Finally, typically a prior art putter is frequently shafted at one side of the putter head and frequently at the top of the putter head. This shafting results in a innate tendency to misalign the putt at impact, since the force is transmitted off axis (similar to pushing on one edge of an object and having it rotate instead of moving in a straight line) such shafting makes alignment at impact more difficult and causes further feel inconsistencies making speed more difficult to judge.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a putter with enhanced accuracy and control for putting a golf ball.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved putter to increase the ability of a golfer to properly align the putter with a desired ball path.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a putter which resists misalignment of the putter during the putting stroke.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a putter with a known "sweet spot".
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a putter wherein the "sweet spot" coincides with the aiming axis of the putter.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a putter with increased feedback through the putter and up the shaft to provide an enhanced feel for the user, to increase distance accuracy of the putter.